Masters Scholarships: Fully Funded and Partial Awards for 2026

What counts as a master's scholarship?

A master's scholarship is funding for a postgraduate degree, whether that is an MA, MSc, MRes, MBA or a postgraduate diploma. It can come from a university, a government, a foundation or a development bank. The award either reduces your tuition fee or pays you a living grant, and some do both.

Graduate school scholarships differ from undergraduate ones in one important way: many are tied to a specific programme, department or country, so you apply to the degree and the scholarship separately. Others are automatic, meaning your programme application is also your scholarship application. Always check which model applies before you plan your timeline.

Tuition waivers versus living grants

A tuition waiver cuts the fee you owe. A living grant is money paid to you for rent, food and insurance. Some awards, like the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Scholarships for International Students, are living grants only and do not cover tuition. Read the award description carefully, because a full tuition waiver still leaves living costs for you to fund.

How to read this list of master's scholarships

Each entry below is a real, named award. Start with the level and the country, then check what the award actually pays, then check the deadline. If a deadline has passed, the listing stays as background so you can see the pattern of when that award opens each year.

Use the filtered list for this page to see current openings, and the scholarship finder to filter by country or field. For country-specific browsing, see scholarships by country.

Fully funded master's scholarships

Fully funded master's scholarships for international students

These awards cover tuition and most living costs. They are the most competitive, so apply early and prepare strong documents.

• The ADB-Japan Scholarship Program for Developing Countries in Asia and Pacific covers full tuition, a monthly subsistence and housing allowance, books, medical insurance and travel at participating institutions in Asia and the Pacific.
• The SIDS Scholarships in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft offers full and partial awards, with the full version covering tuition, insurance, international travel and a monthly living allowance.
• The Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarships for Africans funds an Honours or master's degree in South Africa and adds a leadership programme, with tuition, allowances, accommodation, meals and travel covered.
• The George J. Mitchell Scholarships for US citizens to study in Ireland covers tuition, accommodation, a living stipend and travel for a year of postgraduate study in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
• The Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030 funds study and training in Canada through project partners, with the value set by each project.

Tuition waivers and partial master's scholarships

Most master's funding is partial. A waiver still saves real money, and it is often easier to win than a full award.

• The Adlerbert Study Scholarships at Chalmers University of Technology covers the full tuition fee for a two-year programme in Sweden for citizens of listed developing countries.
• The ASBS Global Impact Scholarship at Glasgow University is a full fee waiver for international students.
• The Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (LexS) cuts a set amount from the tuition fee at several award levels and is not a full scholarship.
• The International Excellence Scholarships at University of Leeds give a fee reduction at one of several set amounts, applied to your first year only.
• The Karolinska Institutet Global Master's Scholarships cover the tuition fee only, so budget for living costs yourself.
• The Mälardalen University Scholarship Programme pays part of the tuition fee and requires steady credit progress to keep it.
• The University of Skövde Master's Scholarships are half tuition waivers, renewable if your results are satisfactory.
• The BTH Scholarships normally cut tuition by half for the duration of the programme.
• The University of Oulu International Scholarships are tuition fee waivers that vary by programme.
• The VUW Undergraduate and Postgraduate International Scholarships apply a partial fee award to one year of study in New Zealand.
• The ANU Chancellor's International Scholarships reduce tuition by a set percentage and need no separate application.

Country and government master's scholarships

Governments fund master's study abroad for specific nationalities or specific fields. These awards often carry a service or reporting condition, so read the regulations.

• The Danish State Scholarships at Aarhaus University give a tuition waiver, and some faculties add a monthly grant.
• The Belgian American Educational Foundation Fellowships pay a fixed personal stipend plus health insurance for US citizens studying in Belgium.
• The Ontario Graduate Scholarship pays a set amount per session to graduate students at the University of Toronto, domestic and international.
• The DAAD Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies in Architecture fund a master's or complementary course in Germany with a monthly stipend, travel and insurance.
• The University of Helsinki International Master's Programme Scholarships offer a full tuition grant or a tuition grant plus a set sum.
• The Scholarships for Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Programmes at University of Ghent include Erasmus Mundus and VLIR-UOS awards covering tuition, travel and a monthly allowance.

For more by destination, see Scholarships in Sweden, Scholarships in United Kingdom, Scholarships in Germany and Scholarships in the Netherlands.

Master's scholarships by field of study

Some awards are open to any field and some are tied to a subject. If you are searching for scholarships for a CS master's, a social work master's or an MSc in sustainability, filter by field first.

• Environment and sustainability: the Sustainability Masters Scholarships at University of Leeds, the MRes in Climate and Atmospheric Science Scholarships at University of Leeds, and the International Scholarship for the Master in Management of Sustainable Development Goals at LUMSA.
• Agriculture: the Marshal Papworth Scholarships in Agriculture for Developing Countries.
• Economics, business and development: the ADB-Japan programme and the ASBS Global Impact Scholarship above.

Browse the environment scholarships list, the social sciences scholarships list, the IT scholarships list, the health scholarships list, the education scholarships list, the economics and finance scholarships list and the any field of study scholarships list.

Who qualifies for a master's scholarship?

Eligibility rules differ by award, but most master's scholarships check the same few things. Read the official page for the current wording before you spend time on an application.

• An offer of admission, or a submitted application, for an eligible master's programme.
• Nationality or residency rules, such as non-EU/EEA status or a list of eligible countries.
• Academic merit, usually shown by your degree results and transcripts.
• English or local language test scores where the programme requires them.
• Sometimes age limits, work experience or a commitment to a field such as development.

The Politecnico Milano Merit Based International Scholarships show how one university combines a tuition exemption with a grant or accommodation depending on the scholarship type.

Deadlines and timeline

Master's scholarship deadlines cluster around the programme intake. Autumn intakes usually close between January and April, and a few close in autumn of the year before. Some awards, like the BTH Scholarships, ask you to apply for the programme first and then follow emailed scholarship instructions.

Dates move each round. Confirm the current date on the official page, and check the live master's list for what is open now.

How to apply for master's scholarships, step by step

1. Shortlist three to six awards that match your nationality, field and level.
2. Check the programme admission deadline first, because the scholarship usually depends on it.
3. Prepare your transcripts, degree certificate, language scores, CV and motivation letter.
4. Ask referees early and give them the award criteria, not just your CV.
5. Submit the programme application, then the scholarship form if it is separate.
6. Track each deadline in one calendar and keep confirmation emails.
7. Apply for more than one award, and have a funding plan for living costs.

Our scholarship tips cover motivation letters and referee requests in more detail.

Documents you will need

• Academic transcripts and degree certificates.
• Passport or national ID showing nationality.
• English or local language test results.
• CV or resume.
• Motivation letter or statement of purpose.
• Reference letters.
• Research proposal, portfolio or video, where the award asks for one.

Who these scholarships suit, and who should look elsewhere

These awards suit students with strong grades who can meet a fixed deadline and who fit a nationality or field rule. They also suit anyone who can fund living costs while a waiver covers tuition.

Look elsewhere if you need full living-cost funding and the award is a tuition waiver only. Look elsewhere if you cannot provide transcripts or references in time, or if your target programme is not on the eligible list. Online master's scholarships exist but are less common, so check the programme page directly.

Common mistakes with master's scholarship applications

• Applying for the scholarship before checking programme admission is open.
• Assuming a tuition waiver pays rent and food.
• Missing that an award is automatic and needs no separate form.
• Reusing one motivation letter for every award.
• Ignoring renewal conditions, such as minimum credits per semester.
• Waiting for the final day when referees need weeks.